Reciprocating engine.



PATBNTED JULY 30 E. A. RIX. RECIPROGATING ENGINE.

APPLIoATmN FILED 11110.16. 1905.

1H: NaRRls PErE'Rs co., wAsmNaraN. n` c.

UNITED sTATEs EDWARD A. RIX, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

RECIPRQCATING ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Original application led August 16, 1905, Serial No. 274,487- Dividedand this application iled December 16, 1905. Serial No. 292,074.'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. R1X,a citizen of the United States,residinglat San Francisco, county of San Francisco, and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in ReciprocatingEngines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to reciprocating engines and particularly to thatclass of such engines employed in conjunction with rock drills; theobject of the invention being to produce a valve motion to actuate theengine piston and rock drill in such a manner as to eliminate defectswhich have heretofore existed in such mechanisms.

My invention consists of the parts and the constructions andcombinations of parts which I will hereinafter describe and claim,reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which,-the gure is alongitudinal vertical section of a reciprocating engine embodying myinvention.

l My invention relates more particularly to that class of reciprocatingengines employed in conjunction with rock drills, and the object is toproduce a valve motion to actuate the engine piston and rock drill insuch a manner as to eliminate defects which have heretofore existed insuch mechanisms.

In the accompanying drawing, A is the cylinder having tlie piston Badapted to reciprocate therein, and the piston rod extending through theend of the cylinder to connect with the part to be reciprocated. Theends of the piston fit the cylinder, forming fluidtight jointstherewith, and the central or body portion of the piston is turned downsmaller than the cylinder diameter and provided with inclined shouldersbetween this body and the ends. A rocker arm 6 in the form of a circularsegment is slidable in a machined groove which forms a guide for it, andthe ends of this rocker arm are impinged against by the inclines of thepiston as the latter is alternately reciprocated in the cylinder. Rods 5are connected with the slidable segment 6 at their inner ends, and theouter ends are connected with valves 2. These valves are cylindrical andslidable within cylindrical sleeves or seats 3 which are located as nearthe ends of the cylinder as possible to reduce the loss of the elasticmedium which is transmitted through the valves to reciprocate thepiston. The valve seats or sleeves are screw-threaded upon the outside,and are turnable in corresponding screw-threads in the seats in whichthe sleeves it so that the valves and sleeves may bel inserted orremoved by removing the caps or plugs 4 which close the end of the valvechamber in line with the valves. The cylindrical sleeves or seats withinwhich the valves reciprocate, are supported as shown, in suchY a mannerthat the elastic medium which is transmitted through the valves toactuate the piston, may circulate entirely around the sleeves, and thushave easy transmission through the sleeves 'and the valve passages toand from the cylinder. Air or other elastic medium of pressure, occupiesthe central space of the valve chamber, and the exhaust passages fromeach end connect with a central exhaust passage as shown, so that thevalves by reason of their connection with the slidable rocker 6 arereciprocated so as to alternately admit the propelling medium underpressure through the cylindrical valve seat, and through the interiorpassage ofthe valve to one end of the cylinder, while at the oppositeend the valve has been retracted so as to allow free escape of themedium through the valve seat exterior to the ends of the valve andthence through the exhaust port. It will be seen in this constructionthat the air or other elastic medium under pressure, acts equally ineach direction against the inner ends of the valves, thus placing themin perfect balance, and this balance is not substantially disturbedduring the reciprocation of the valves, inasmuch as the passage of thepropelling medium is transversely through the valve openings.

The sleeves or bushings within which the valves reciprocate areadjustable forward or back to regulate the amount of opening that theports shall give, because when the rock drill is in an elevatedposition, the weight of the drill is an element which makes the valveadjustment an entirely different mattei' than that of an ordinary enginewhere the weight of the reciprocating parts does notaifect the positionof the valve ports.

In an ordinary engine, the valves are set the same at each end of themovement, while in the rock drill, the amount of opening may vary withreference to the position of the piston. The cylindrical sleeves alsoserve to prevent the wrist pins of the connecting rods from slipping outendwise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is,-

benparallel with the cylinder and having an inner iiuid pressure chamberand an outer exhaust chamber, pairs of screw-threaded lianges at eachend of the inner chamber with annular channels between each pair ofiianges, cylindrical screw-threaded longitudinally and independentlyadjustable casing-s, fitting the threaded flanges and having portsregistering with the pressure chamber and with the annular channels,elongated ports from said channels to the ends of the cylinder, valvesfitting and slidable within the casings, and havingreduced waists,througli which communication is alternately made between the pressurechamber and the cylinder through the casing ports, and between thecylinder and the exhaust chamber through the annular channels.

ton, and an elongated port at each end, a fluid pressure chamber withcircular interior channels at each end registering with the cylinderports, sleeves or casings fitted within the channel lianges, andextending into the pressure chamber, circumferential ports of lesslengths than l. In an engine of the character described, a valve cham-2. In an engine, a cylinder having a reciprocating pisthe rst namedports connecting with said chamber, and With the channels, and pistonheaded valves movable in inison to alternately and oppositelyconnect'the cylinder ports with the pressure chamber, and with anexhaust chamber.

3. In an engine, a cylinder, an elongated port at cach end and areciprocating piston, a fluid pressure chamber Withy circular interiorchannels at opposite ends, registeringwith the cylinder portsy casingsor sleeves adjustable longitudinally with relation to the channels, andhaving ports communicating with the pressure chamber and the channelsrespectively, and piston headed valves, recipro cated in unison with themovements of the engine piston to alternately connect the interior ofthe casing and the cylinder, with the pressure chamber and with anexhaust chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in i presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD A. RIX.

Witnesses G. W. SHIPMAN, L. E. KIMBENLY.

